Espresso, cappuccino, cortado, flat white, caffe latte, and latte macchiato all begin with coffee, but the result can be very different.
Some coffee drinks consist almost entirely of espresso, while others contain significantly more milk. An Americano has hot water added, while an affogato combines espresso with ice cream.
It can therefore be difficult to discern the differences – especially when recipes and serving sizes vary from café to café.
In this guide, you will get a comprehensive overview of the most common coffee drinks, what they consist of, and how they differ from each other.
Quick overview of coffee drinks
| Coffee drink | Basic principle | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | Concentrated coffee brewed on an espresso machine | Intense and concentrated |
| Americano | Espresso + hot water | Larger and milder than espresso |
| Espresso macchiato | Espresso + a little milk/foam | Espresso dominates |
| Cortado | Espresso + about the same amount of milk | Small and coffee-intense |
| Flat white | Espresso + textured milk | Creamy with distinct espresso |
| Cappuccino | Espresso + textured milk and microfoam | Creamy and balanced |
| Caffe latte | Espresso + relatively much steamed milk | Mild and milk-dominated |
| Latte macchiato | Milk + espresso | Very mild and milk-dominated |
| Affogato | Espresso + vanilla ice cream or gelato | Coffee dessert |
The recipes are not completely standardized.
In particular, the amount of espresso, milk, and the overall cup size can vary between countries and cafés.
Therefore, use this overview to understand the ratio between the ingredients rather than as a rule for precise milliliters.
Espresso – the foundation of many coffee drinks
Espresso is the foundation for the vast majority of drinks in this guide.
With espresso, hot water is pressed through very finely ground coffee under pressure.
The result is a small, concentrated coffee drink.
A practical starting point for a double espresso could be:
18 g ground coffee
which gives about:
36 g finished espresso
This corresponds to a brew ratio of about 1:2.
However, this is a starting point and not a universal espresso recipe.
Coffee beans, roast, machine, and taste may require a different recipe.
Read our complete guide to espresso if you want to work with grind size, dose, yield, and brew time.
What is an Americano?
An Americano consists of:
espresso + hot water
By adding water, you get a larger drink with a lower concentration than pure espresso.
A simple starting point could be, for example:
1 double espresso
+
about 100–150 ml hot water
The amount can be adjusted to taste.
In size and strength, an Americano is more like regular black coffee, but the brewing method and flavor profile are different from filter coffee.
Read more in our guide to the Americano.
Americano or filter coffee?
They may look similar in the cup, but they are made in completely different ways.
Americano
First, espresso is brewed under pressure.
Then, hot water is added.
Filter coffee
The water passes through a bed of ground coffee and a filter during the brewing process itself.
Therefore, the same coffee bean will not necessarily taste the same as an Americano and filter coffee.
Filter coffee typically provides a different clarity and mouthfeel, while an Americano preserves the character from the espresso extraction.
If you want to brew classic filter coffee, you can use our guide to filter coffee.
What is an espresso macchiato?
An espresso macchiato is espresso with a small amount of milk or milk foam.
The name macchiato in this context means roughly "marked" or "stained."
The espresso is thus simply marked with a little milk.
The drink is therefore very close to regular espresso.
If you want the softness of milk but still want the espresso to be the main focus, the espresso macchiato is one of the least milk-dominated options.
What is a cortado?
A cortado typically consists of espresso and about the same amount of warm, lightly textured milk.
A good starting point is:
36–40 g espresso
approximately 36–50 g warm milk
This makes a small coffee drink with a high proportion of espresso.
The milk tempers the intensity of the espresso and adds sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel without overpowering the coffee.
A cortado normally only has a small amount of microfoam.
Read the complete cortado guide.
What is a flat white?
A flat white consists of espresso and finely textured milk.
It is typically associated with:
- one or two espresso shots
- relatively little milk compared to a caffe latte
- very fine microfoam
- a smooth and creamy texture
- distinct coffee flavor.
A flat white is therefore somewhere between the very espresso-intense cortado and the more milk-dominated caffe latte.
An important difference from a traditional cappuccino is the texture of the milk.
A flat white usually has a thinner and more integrated layer of microfoam rather than a more airy foam structure.
Flat white vs. cortado
The two drinks can look similar.
The difference lies primarily in the ratio between espresso and milk.
Cortado
Typically about equal parts espresso and milk.
Small serving.
Very distinct espresso.
Flat white
Typically more milk than a cortado.
Still relatively coffee-intense.
Fine, smooth microfoam.
If you want the least amount of milk and the most espresso, a cortado is usually the most obvious choice.
If you want a slightly larger and creamier drink, but still with distinct espresso, a flat white lies naturally between a cortado and a latte.
What is a cappuccino?
A cappuccino consists of espresso and textured milk with microfoam.
The classic idea is a relatively small milk drink where the espresso, warm milk, and foam are in balance.
Modern cappuccino is often made with very fine microfoam rather than the very thick and dry milk foam that one previously often associated with cappuccino.
This provides a creamy drink where the character of the espresso is still distinct.
Read our complete guide to cappuccino.
Cappuccino vs. flat white
Both consist of espresso and textured milk.
The most important difference typically lies in the amount and texture of the milk.
Cappuccino
More distinct foam structure.
Creamy and airy.
Flat white
Finer and typically thinner microfoam.
The milk and espresso are perceived as more integrated.
In practice, modern café recipes vary so much that the boundary between the two is not always sharp.
The size of the cup therefore also has a great significance.
What is a caffe latte?
A caffe latte consists of:
espresso + a relatively large amount of steamed milk
and a smaller amount of microfoam on top.
It is normally served larger than a cappuccino, cortado, and flat white.
Therefore, a caffe latte is one of the milder espresso-based milk drinks.
The more milk you use, the more the intensity of the espresso is tempered.
If you still want a distinct coffee flavor in a larger latte, a medium- or dark-roasted espresso can be a good starting point.
Our selection of coffee beans for espresso contains different roasts that can be used for milk drinks.
Caffe latte vs. cappuccino
Both contain espresso and milk.
But the ratio is different.
Cappuccino
Smaller overall drink.
Less milk.
More prominent foam structure.
The espresso stands out more clearly.
Caffe latte
Larger drink.
More milk.
Milder coffee flavor.
Thinner layer of microfoam.
If you think a cappuccino tastes too strongly of coffee, a caffe latte may therefore be a natural next choice.
What is a latte macchiato?
A latte macchiato, in a way, reverses the espresso macchiato.
In an espresso macchiato, the espresso is "marked" with a little bit of milk.
In a latte macchiato, it is the milk that is marked with espresso.
The drink therefore mainly consists of milk.
It is often served in a tall glass, and depending on the pouring technique, visible layers can form.
A latte macchiato is typically even more milk-dominated than a cappuccino and can also be milder than many caffe latte recipes.
Read our latte macchiato guide.
Latte macchiato vs. caffe latte
The ingredients are similar, but preparation and presentation are different.
Caffe latte
Espresso is normally the base.
Steamed milk is poured into the espresso.
The result is a relatively uniform drink.
Latte macchiato
Milk is the main ingredient.
The espresso is added to the milk.
The drink can be served with distinct layers.
In both cases, there is relatively much milk compared to espresso.
What is an affogato?
An affogato is a bit outside the range of regular coffee drinks.
It is rather a coffee dessert.
The classic idea is very simple:
vanilla ice cream or gelato
hot espresso
The hot espresso is poured over the cold ice cream immediately before serving.
This creates a combination of:
- hot and cold
- bitter and sweet
- liquid espresso and creamy ice cream.
Read our guide to the affogato.
Coffee drinks from least to most milk
If we disregard small variations between recipes, you can use this sequence as a practical overview:
Espresso
↓
Espresso macchiato
↓
Cortado
↓
Flat white
↓
Cappuccino
↓
Caffe latte
↓
Latte macchiato
The further down you move, the more milk the drink will generally contain in relation to espresso.
However, it is not an official standard.
A large cappuccino at one café can, for example, contain more milk than a small latte at another place.
Which coffee drink has the most coffee flavor?
This depends especially on the ratio between espresso and the other ingredients.
Pure espresso provides the most concentrated coffee experience.
Among the milk drinks, espresso macchiato and cortado will usually provide the most distinct espresso flavor.
Flat white follows, often with relatively distinct espresso.
Caffe latte and latte macchiato contain more milk and are therefore perceived as milder.
But the coffee beans also matter a lot.
A strong, dark-roasted espresso can stand out more clearly through milk than a very light and delicate espresso.
Which coffee drink has the most milk?
Latte macchiato and caffe latte are generally among the most milk-dominant classic espresso drinks.
However, the actual amount depends on the serving size.
A large latte glass can contain significantly more milk than a small cappuccino cup.
It therefore makes more sense to compare the ratio of espresso to milk than just the name of the drink.
What is the difference between latte and caffe latte?
In everyday language, “latte” is often used as an abbreviation for caffe latte.
However, the word latte means milk in Italian.
If you order a “latte” in a Danish coffee shop, it will normally be understood as a caffe latte.
The classic coffee drink consists of espresso and a relatively large amount of hot, textured milk.
Which milk should be used for coffee drinks?
Regular cow's milk is popular because the protein and fat composition makes it possible to create a smooth and creamy texture.
But plant-based drinks can also be used.
Barista versions of, for example, oat and soy drinks are often developed to be textured better.
Regardless of which milk or plant-based drink you use, the goal for modern milk drinks is typically a fine and glossy microfoam rather than large, dry bubbles.
If you use the steam wand on an espresso machine, you can see our milk pitchers.
If you don't have a steam wand, there are also milk frothers.
What is microfoam?
Microfoam is milk in which very small air bubbles are evenly distributed throughout the liquid.
Good microfoam typically appears:
- glossy
- smooth
- uniform
- creamy
- pourable.
It is this type of milk that makes it possible to create latte art.
How much air you add depends on the drink.
For a flat white, you usually want relatively little air.
For a cappuccino, the milk can have a little more volume and foam structure.
How hot should milk for coffee be?
A practical working range for many milk drinks is around:
55–65 °C
This provides hot milk without necessarily heating it more than needed.
However, preference, milk type, and drink play a role.
If you are learning to steam, a milk thermometer can make it easier to replicate the result.
Which coffee beans are best for milk drinks?
There is no one right coffee bean.
But the milk softens some of the intensity of the espresso.
Therefore, medium and dark roasted coffee beans are popular for:
- cappuccino
- caffe latte
- flat white
- cortado
- latte macchiato.
They often provide a clear body and roasting character through the milk.
This does not mean, however, that light-roasted espresso cannot be used.
A lighter single origin can provide an exciting milk drink with more fruitiness and acidity.
Choose according to the taste you want.
See our coffee beans for espresso if you want to compare different options.
Which coffee glass or cup should I choose?
The size of the cup should match the drink.
As a general guideline:
| Coffee drink | Typical need |
|---|---|
| Espresso | Small cup or glass |
| Espresso macchiato | Small espresso cup |
| Cortado | Small glass or cup |
| Flat white | Medium-sized cup |
| Cappuccino | Medium-sized cup |
| Caffe latte | Larger cup or glass |
| Latte macchiato | Larger/taller glass |
There is no universal size that all cafés follow.
The most important thing is that the cup fits the recipe you are using.
You can see our selection of coffee cups and glasses.
Which coffee drink should I choose?
If you are in doubt, you can start by considering how clearly you want to taste the espresso.
I want pure and intense coffee:
Choose espresso.
I want black coffee, but a larger cup:
Try an Americano.
I want almost pure espresso with a little milk:
Try an espresso macchiato.
I want milk, but still very clear espresso:
Try a cortado.
I want creamy milk with clear espresso:
Try a flat white.
I want a balance between espresso, milk, and foam:
Try a cappuccino.
I want a mild and milky coffee drink:
Try a caffe latte.
I want a lot of milk and a mild coffee experience:
Try a latte macchiato.
I want dessert:
Try an affogato.
However, there is no reason to stick to just one.
Part of what is interesting about espresso is precisely how differently the same coffee can be experienced when the ratio of espresso, milk, and water is changed.
Make coffee drinks better at home
Regardless of which drink you choose, the result begins with a good espresso.
First, work on:
- fresh coffee beans
- correct grind size
- consistent dosing
- a suitable espresso ratio
- stable brewing.
Then you can adjust the milk or water amount.
If the espresso tastes bad on its own, it rarely gets better by adding milk.
Therefore, start with our espresso guide if you want to improve the foundation.
Frequently asked questions about coffee drinks
What are the most common coffee drinks?
Espresso, Americano, cappuccino, caffe latte, flat white, cortado, macchiato, and latte macchiato are among the best-known espresso-based coffee drinks.
What is the difference between cappuccino and latte?
Caffe latte generally contains more milk and is served larger. Cappuccino is usually smaller and has a more distinct espresso and foam character.
What is the difference between flat white and cappuccino?
Flat white typically has finer and less voluminous microfoam, while cappuccino usually has a more distinct foam structure. However, recipes vary between cafés.
What is the difference between cortado and flat white?
A cortado typically contains roughly equal parts espresso and milk and is smaller. A flat white usually contains more milk.
What is an Americano?
An Americano is espresso diluted with hot water.
What is a macchiato?
An espresso macchiato is espresso with a small amount of milk or milk foam.
What is a latte macchiato?
A latte macchiato consists mainly of milk, which is added to espresso. It is therefore much more milk-dominant than an espresso macchiato.
What is the mildest coffee drink?
Among common espresso-based drinks, caffe latte and latte macchiato will typically be experienced as relatively mild due to the large amount of milk.
Which coffee drink has the most coffee?
This depends on the number of espresso shots. If looking at the concentration, pure espresso is naturally the most coffee-intense, while cortado is typically among the more intense milk drinks.
Which coffee is used for cappuccino?
Cappuccino is made with espresso. Medium and dark roasted coffee beans are popular, but both lighter roasts and single origin can also be used.
Is affogato a coffee drink?
Affogato is most often considered a dessert, where hot espresso is poured over vanilla ice cream or gelato.